RED January 2019

I have a number of goals to achieve in January some are personal, some are food related and some like today’s post are exercise related! I want to get a little running streak going again and with January just around the corner, it made sense to do that with RED January! If you do not know what RED January is, then buckle in and let me tell you and then tell you why I want to get a running streak going.

RED January?

So, the concept of RED January is to get people active to assist with their mental health. Around and especially just after Christmas, there is a lot of negative vibes floating about in people’s heads, to help counter this you get out and exercise! It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something, run, walk, swim whatever, just getting out and kick-starting your year in the healthiest, positive way can only be a good thing for you.

I didn’t know too much about it other than the odd tweet with ukrunchat so when people suggested I look into it to start my running streak I dove in for the old knowledge. The fact that you can raise some funds or just plain donate to MIND is a great incentive to participate as well. I plan to donate £1 day I exercise in January, I hope to give £31 to the charity as it is a great one!

Getting the streak going

After moving to a 9-5 job, I thought that I would have all the time in the world to run in the mornings, evenings and weekends, but in 2018 that hasn’t really worked out how I wanted it to, so with this 12 day period before I return to work (3^rd January) I thought that it would be wise to get myself into a little routine and just run every day.

I know it might seem a bit silly to run every single day, but I loved it when I was running every day before (I would have the odd day off after a month or so) I don’t plan on running the same distance every day or the same route or the same way. I am training for a number of races in 2019 so why not get into a good pattern or letting my body remember how to run. I will be running hills, flats and loops and anything I can possibly spend a little time doing. I do not think I will run 10k every day, though for a little while I was running something like that when I first started losing weight a few years ago. 10pm or so I would put on the running shoes and blast out a quick hour of running before bed. Those days may return again, but with the temperature to drop around January and February, those late evening runs may not come about until spring.

Aiming to keep my body active is definitely required as for a while I was feeling quite low when I hadn’t exercised for a while, I get restless and a little edgy. It is hard to describe, but I believe that because for two or so years my body was running and exercising every day (sometimes twice a day) that it got firmly into that routine and I was mentally very refreshed. If I was having a few negative or just annoying thoughts stay in my head, I would go out for a run and as the run progressed I would work it all out and I want that routine again. I need it again honestly.

Recently I have been going to the gym at 5.30am or so with Victoria on the weekdays and I have loved knackering myself out there. I feel good for the entire day as I know I have worked my body hard and if I am a little achy, then that is okay. It happens.

I think that is why when everyone started talking about RED January it resonated with me. I know the feeling of working out and feeling mentally better. Of course, that isn’t the same for everyone, though eventually you might get to that phase. For example, I know Victoria used to struggle a little when on a run and couldn’t clear her head and zone out. I dream for the zone outs (which for me usually happen around mile 3) but I digress. With the initiative having so many people take part with the hashtag #REDJanuary on social media, it is easy for others to comment, like or chat to you about what you are doing. I see very few negatives and only positives about doing something like this.

As I said, I am focussing on running for daily workouts, but I will be doing other things, but if you want to get involved check out the website for more information. I am going to have the RED January search open in my Tweetdeck so I can see all the positives going on with people taking part. If you are taking part let me know! Just remember that just because I am donating and running doesn’t mean you have to do exactly the same. If you want to just walk a mile every day out of work etc, then make it happen! Set your own goals and the community will support you.

Sometimes I think the running and really the fitness community is one of the nicest about, everyone wants others to improve and participate. I will be feeding off everyone’s energy to keep me going as I know there will be dark wet days where I do not want to go outside and would prefer to just stay in and be warm. With their posts and stories, I have a suspicion that it will get my butt off the sofa!

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